Hong Kong's Crucial Vote

Updated Dec. 21, 2005 12:01 a.m. ET

Winter has arrived in Hong Kong just as the political heat for democracy cranks up. Today, Hong Kong's legislators will vote on cosmetic changes to the territory's election arrangements, which Beijing hopes will defuse popular pressure for universal suffrage. May the heat long continue, we say.

Hong Kong's authorities, beholden to Beijing, are clearly nervous. On Monday, Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang made some token concessions by promising eventually to abolish government-appointed seats on local councils -- but...